Who Gives A Crap donates over US$3 million to support access to clean water and sanitation

Who Gives A Crap, an Australian eco-friendly toilet paper company, has announced a donation of over US$3 million, furthering its mission to provide access to clean water and sanitation to people in vulnerable situations worldwide. The brand, which donates half of its profits to fund water, sanitation, and hygiene initiatives, supported a total of 845,000 people in 2023 alone.

Founded in Australia in 2012, Who Gives A Crap expanded its direct-to-consumer (D2C) model to the United States in 2016 and has recently made its way into retail stores, including Whole Foods and Erewhon Markets in 2024. The brand’s global expansion, through both online and physical sales, is driven by its commitment to donate 50% of profits and a belief that quality products can make a difference in people’s lives.

Despite inflation and the global cost of living crisis, this donation highlights how consumers are increasingly aware of the social impact of their purchasing choices. A YouGov survey earlier this year revealed that 1 in 3 Americans and 45% of global consumers are more likely to buy from a brand that donates to charity.

With this contribution, the company has raised over US$12.5 million in total, solidifying its role as a social enterprise addressing the global sanitation crisis, which is responsible for the death of 1.4 million people annually.

The company has partnered with NGOs such as WaterAid Australia, Fresh Life, and Water For People, providing unrestricted grants that allow organizations to apply funds where they are most needed to support some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.

”Who Gives A Crap empowers us to focus on what truly matters: delivering high-quality, reliable WASH services to the people living in informal settlements in Kenya. Their dedication to solving this global issue with trusted partners, through unrestricted grants, means we’re able to make the biggest impact and prioritize accessibility for everyone”, said Lindsay Stradley, Co-Founder and CEO of Fresh Life. “Since Who Gives A Crap jumped on board in 2016, we’ve been able to make a real difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of people”.

The latest donation from Who Gives A Crap is the second largest in the brand’s history, following its US$4 million donation in 2021 after the #ToiletpaperGate incident. The company’s continued success is a testament to its international growth and the introduction of new products, including garbage and pet bags, as well as limited edition collections.

Co-founder and Chief of Product & Purpose Danny Alexander believes the brand’s profit donation model has been key to its ongoing success.

“We have to keep growing our donations in a substantial way to help solve the sanitation crisis. By giving away half of our profits, we’ve built a thriving business supported by a devoted customer base”, Alexander explained. “Today, we’re the world’s largest D2C toilet paper company, with customers proudly showcasing our rolls in their bathrooms and spreading the word within their communities”.

Who Gives A Crap’s Head of Impact, Robin Cho, also emphasized the positive impact of the brand’s social enterprise model: “There is a lot more work to be done, but we’re even closer to our goal of giving everyone access to clean water and toilets with the help of our Who Gives A Crap community, who share in our desire to make it fun to do good. They understand a simple act like changing toilet paper can help change the world, which is one reason why 50 percent of our customers have given our rolls as a gift–they also want to get more bums on board”.

Certified as a B Corp™ and holding an A environmental rating from the Natural Resources Defence Council, Who Gives A Crap was ranked as Australia’s top corporate giver in 2024, further solidifying its commitment to sustainability and social impact.

For more information on Who Gives A Crap’s impact, visit https://us.whogivesacrap.org/pages/our-impact.